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Portland bus driver caught with Kindle while driving

Video of a Portland bus driver reading a Kindle while behind the wheel was all over the media last week.

At one point, you can see the driver controlling the bus with his elbow.

According to this report, TriMet has placed the driver on administrative leave while the agency investigates. The passenger reportedly used a cell phone to take the video. The driver reportedly noticed and told the passenger that taking photos was not allowed while the bus was moving.

“In that time, only two operators were disciplined with written warnings.

TriMet responded by announcing that operators caught using mobile electronic devices on the job would face “immediate termination.”

As the video from the e-reader express shows, there are still bus drivers who apparently consider taking a phone call or getting to the next chapter more important than safety.”

Distraction-related deaths accounted for 16 percent of all traffic fatalities in 2009, according to the U.S. Transportation Department. But there is a silver lining. The federal government reports that fewer people died as the result of distracted driving last year. The federal government says 5,474 people were killed in 2009 in crashes reported to have involved distracted driving, a 6 percent decline from the 5,838 people killed in 2008.

Note: This is a seattlepi.com reader blog. It is not written or edited by the P-I. The authors are solely responsible for content. E-mail us at newmedia@seattlepi.com if you consider a post inappropriate.